Oil spill pollutes Mauritius

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Mauritius oil accident - 24th August 2020

A lot of oil has gone into the sea on the coast of Mauritius. The accident happened when a cargo ship crashed and broke apart. The blue waters have become black and brown. Experts say the accident is very serious.

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, near Africa. It is famous for its wildlife, coral reefs, and beaches.

The ship, MV Wakashio, crashed in late July. Oil began spilling out of its tanks. Satellite photographs show the oil is covering a very big area. A clean-up operation has started.

Oil spills are extremely serious for the environment. They are a huge problem to clean up. They cause harm to wildlife for years.

Over 4,000 tonnes of oil have now gone into the sea. The accident is very bad because of its location. Mauritius is home to very rare animals and plants. It has coral reefs which protect the land from bad weather. Biologists are very worried that the oil might kill the reefs.

The Mauritian prime minister requested international help and lots of people travelled to the area. They rescued baby tortoises and rare plants.

Experts say usually only 10% of oil is cleaned up in accidents like this. Mauritius is asking for money to pay for the damage. The ship’s Japanese owner, Nagashiki Shipping, has promised to pay but they haven't said how much.